Le Shuttle

Le Shuttle, run by Eurotunnel, transports cars, coaches and light vans on trains designed by DCA for a consortium of train manufacturers that included Bombardier, Alstom and Breda.

A key part of DCA’s role was to coordinate the design of the interiors, incorporating a range of vehicle types supplied by different manufacturers to create a welcoming, unified interior ambience in a confined space.

We also developed the exterior and interior design of the locomotive from early concept sketches, using 3D CAD, scale models and finally a full-size mock up. This fully representative mock up proved to be crucial in gaining the approval of both drivers and operators.

A major human factors study was carried out on the driver’s desk and the system controls to ensure that the two different operating systems specified, one for use in England, the other in France, would work together and support the working practices of drivers from both countries.

The final interior panelling system and associated colour palette for the single and double deck vehicle carrying carriages were chosen on the basis of full-size mock ups built by DCA.

These were used to demonstrate the visual effects of the interiors before the trains were built and simulate the experience that passengers would gain when travelling on the real trains, including the logistical challenges of efficiently loading and unloading passenger vehicles at either end of the tunnel.